[AMS-announce] ANNOUNCEMENT: "German for Musicians," University of Rhode Island, 16 July - 3 August 2007

[ams-announce-admin at list.bowdoin.edu]

The 27th annual "Deutsche Sommerschule am Atlantik" offers intensive 
German language instruction at all proficiency levels in a friendly 
total-immersion, German-only environment on the campus of the 
University of Rhode Island near several scenic beaches. Owing to last 
year's success, a one-credit hour course "German for Musicians" will 
be offered again to complement the core instruction.

This 1-credit course (definitely not a diction class for singers!) 
will train music students, musicians, and other interested 
participants in the language skills indispensable for studying the 
extensive German musical repertoire and its associated literature, 
for living and working professionally in German-speaking countries, 
and for conducting advanced research on musical topics related to the 
country and its language. It is designed both for those practically 
involved with music, whether as performers, composers, or teachers, 
and for those whose main interests are analytical or musicological. 
Students will learn to comprehend and use German in a variety of 
musical contexts, including those likely to be encountered on a 
day-to-day basis by professional musicians and researchers. They will 
become familiar with the most essential research and translation 
tools and strategies. A reading selection, covering various 
historical stages of the language, will facilitate the comprehension 
of older texts in addition to contemporary German. Students' 
individual interests and needs will be reflected in their projects 
and assignments.

Course contents:
- Basic music terminology: musical instruments, analyzing and 
rehearsing music, essentials of music history and theory, etc.
- Selected readings of song and opera texts, composers' 
correspondence, and secondary sources
- Reading and writing of biographies of musicians and concert programs/reviews
- Introduction of the terminology and style required for 
correspondence with libraries and research institutions, grant and 
scholarship applications, job applications, writing abstracts, etc.

Course prerequisite: Four semesters of college German or equivalent

Instructor: Monika Hennemann has graduate degrees in German studies 
and musicology and has taught university classes in the United States 
at all levels in both disciplines.

Further information about the summer school is available at 
www.uri.edu/iep/dssa or from Dr. Norbert Hedderich (hedderich at 
uri.edu). For details on "German for Musicians," please contact 
Monika Hennemann (monika at prs.de).